After The Burn
by DimplesValntina
Summary: Adults Danny Desai and Lacey Porter work together at Desai Industries. Even though Lacey is attracted to her boss, Danny, she always keeps things strictly professional between them. Danny's actions bring them closer when he involves her into a bet that was engineered by his cousin and rival Charlie McBride. How will these circumstances affect the relationship of Danny & Lacey?
1. Chapter 1

Infuriated, yes, that was how she felt. In the mirrored interior, her displeasure was clear upon her face and reflected in her eyes. Lacey had never been so infuriated by a single person in her life. He was the most egotistical, arrogant, manipulative, and outrageous man she had ever known. These were the words that rang in her head as she rode the private elevator to the penthouse apartment in an exclusive district in upstate Green Grove, New York.

The 'he' was Daniel Robert Mitchell Desai. He was part of the Desai family, the owners of one of the country's largest acquisitions companies (Marrick Industries). They owned businesses in real estate, oil, and land conservation. That family was also known for their philanthropic work around the world. Like all families, there were those who were upstanding, wonderful members like Cole Desai Worthington, Lacey's friend, and the living co-founder William Robert Desai. Likewise, the recently deceased co-founder Eli Daniel Desai, had been one of the "good" family members.

Then, there was the other side of the family tree: the scoundrels. The scoundrels were Vikram Robert Desai and Charlie Desai McBride (adopted but scoundrel blood still ran through his veins and Lacey could not stand him). To be fair, there were a few family members who skewed in the middle between saintly and downright rotten. Those were the ones often caught in the cross-hairs of the politics of this complex family. These members were either born within or married to the family: Karen Mitchell Desai, Naomi Desai McBride, and Teresa "Tara" Elaine Desai.

While they could unite and defend themselves against any external threats, that family thrived on playing games amongst themselves. Internal corporate escapades (that seemed unnecessary to Lacey) were often considered a 'rite of passage' or healthy competition to this group. The family relished on competition to keep the members driven - always hungry for the next accomplishment. While this trait was instrumental to becoming a leading, highly-recognized conglomerate, Lacey wondered about the ultimate cost to the Desai family. At any rate, Lacey always tried to keep her nose out of those family politics. 'Just do your job, mind your own business, and stay out of the fray' had been her constant motto early on when she joined the company three years ago.

This was why she was incensed that she had been used as a pawn in one of those inane Desai internal competitions. She fumed "I bet he isn't even sorry that he involved me in this stupid bet. I'm just his senior analyst, always at his beck and call, to exist only at his bidding. Well, I have had enough of his crap! He picked the wrong person to be thrown in the fire with him."

As she exited the elevator, her heels clicked rapidly against the grain of the corridor's floor, she hurried to the front of his residence. She didn't even ring his doorbell in courtesy. She used the key he had given her two years ago for the times she would assist him in his state-of-the-art home office. Such instances were when he worked on some highly confidential project or else for emergencies - aka errand runs to his penthouse – as if she didn't have enough 'real' work). Again, these were more examples that he thought very little of her time and her life – just to be readily available whenever he deemed a selfish need.

She knew he would be home. She had heard his executive administrative assistant tell another assistant that at the latest family function, Danny drank several bottles of his mother's expensive champagne and then ended the evening with whiskey before someone dragged him home. She originally had no idea what cause Danny, normally a responsible drinker, to become intoxicated on that particular night. Sometime during that night, he had made a decision which would affect Lacey and his future at Marrick Industries. Luckily, Cole had informed Lacey of the bet which involved her, Danny, and Charlie.

Lacey stomped through the foyer of the penthouse, bypassing the spacious living room with its high ceiling and exquisite panoramic view of the city and Green Grove Pier in the distance. She continued past the kitchen area with black rhodium appliances, charcoal granite counters, a gorgeous onyx dining table, and accents of stainless steel throughout that area. As she passes by, she sarcastically thinks "I doubt he even cooks…probably just uses that room to impress the ladies as he wines and dines them with catered meals."

Lacey passes by the home office where she has spent countless hours working by his side faithfully whenever he needed her. "So much for loyalty from him…oh, he shows his appreciation monetarily but did he even consider my feelings when he made that bet last night?" Lacey knows that Danny Desai only thinks about winning. Heck, he was reared on being the best at everything. He doesn't fail very often. Even with his few losses, he has always managed to profit from those defeats eventually. Thus, she is perplexed why he would let Charlie goad him into this situation.

Finally, she arrives at the end of the corridor at his bedroom (or 'lair of iniquity'). Lacey mildly wonders how many countless victims have crossed this threshold with Danny anticipating a night of fantasies fulfilled only to encounter their visions of a future dreams dashed hours later. Lacey recalled the time when his admin assistant was sick two weeks with the flu and Lacey had to answer calls (when he could have hired a temporary). While most of the calls had been related to the deals on which Lacey was working, she had to deflect several calls from Danny's past conquests. "My job description doesn't include sending flowers and messages to assuage disappointed souls and broken hearts" Lacey mutters under her breath.

She flings open the door. She could care less if he sleeps nude or if he is entertaining another conquest. She is 'ready for bear' to yell at him for involving her in his games. The room is pitch-black thanks to the eclipse window coverings which blocked the rays of the warm sunny day outside. She relished drawing back all the curtains to the large floor to ceiling windows on one side of the room. "These windows for his voyeuristic escapades, I am sure, when he brings unsuspecting victims here at night" Lacey imagines aloud.

The light from the sun has exposed her young boss still asleep nestled in his California King bed with some pillows occupying the bed with him while others were strewn on the floor. Well, she sees he has no guest today in his bed. If she were honest, he made an arresting sight there in that bed. He looked like a dark angel as he slept on his back. His long hair was in a disheveled mess over a pillow with some hair falling over his face while one arm was thrown up covering the other side of his face.

Since his family owned the company, he was allowed to look as he pleased. While he always dressed professionally in the finest tailored designer suits, he often sported his hair pulled back in a hair tie forming a slick bun. Moreover, he wore a cartilage piercing in one ear (a sign of his rebel youth) and he often alternated between sporting groomed facial hair and being clean-shaven.

This morning, he had a deep stubble forming around his mouth and on part of his chin. She could definitely sympathize with what his conquests saw: dangerously handsome, successful, rich, charming with a quick wit, and yes, he had a nice muscled body. That body was exposed this morning showcasing nice pecs and biceps with hair sprinkled down the lower part of his stomach leading towards places hidden under the sheets (wait, what did that tattoo on his side say). Lacey read aloud those two lines of beautiful inked script " 'Buy the ticket…take the ride'." She sarcastically adds "Of course, he **would have** a tattoo like that…makes perfect sense to a player like him."

Lacey snapped herself out of the ogling…no, she was observing him in this undisturbed, vulnerable state…a state she had never seen of him. Lacey reminded herself "Lacey, you are mad, remember?" With that, she had an idea and she retraced herself to the kitchen and found something she wanted to use: a copper pan and a metal long-handled, heavy spoon. She returned to Danny's bedroom, she relished using that pan and spoon to illicit the loudest banging sounds she could made on them – all right into one of her boss' ears.

"What the f***?" Danny awakened startled by the loud sound while he clutched his head and quickly rolled to one side away from that offending sound. He turned back to look grumpily at the culprit who caused that noise. It was Lacey Porter, his beautiful, intelligent, and icy senior analyst. At first he is puzzled by appearance in his bedroom. "Lacey, what are you doing here?" He struggled to become more awake.

Lacey put down the pan and spoon on the bed. "Why did you do it?" she yelled.

Danny was still groggy and fell back on the bed while scrubbing his face with one hand. "Do what?"

"Don't even pretend ignorance. I know all about last night." Lacey would not be swayed by his obvious hangover.

"Lacey, whatever it is that you're made about, can we talk about this later today?" Danny just wanted to take something for this splitting headache and sleep late into the afternoon – at least until he felt functional.

"Get up!" Lacey demanded.

"Lacey…" Danny tried to speak.

"Get up, now!" Lacey pulled on Danny's arm to yank him out of bed while Danny resisted. The two struggled until Lacey fell on top of him. Both froze for a moment as they reacted to feeling their bodies pressed together in such a compromising position. Lacey also felt that Danny didn't have anything on underneath the sheet. Lacey looked into Danny's eyes which had widened as they continued to stare into each other's eyes. She could see something forming in those eyes (maybe lust) because she could feel that she was probably reflecting the same back to him. Lacey forced herself to remember she was angry and that he needed to be punished. He was also her boss…a boss her own age…but a boss nonetheless and she didn't need messy entanglements at work. Her sister had been the victim of one of those messy entanglements and Lacey wasn't going to repeat that pattern.

Lacey reacted first by detangling herself from Danny's form as she rose from the bed. "Get up" she repeated.

"I don't have anything on underneath this sheet. I am sure you are aware of that." Danny smirked.

Lacey looked around the room and spied a pair of pants. She grabbed them and threw them on the bed. She turned around as she stated "There. Now, get dressed because we have a discussion we need to have."

She heard the rustling of the bedcovers and the sound of him putting on the pants. "I'm decent" Danny signaled so that she could turn back around to face him.

When Lacey turned around, she saw that he was sitting down on the side of the bed with his head held in the palms of his hands with his elbows propped on his knees.

"Oh, now you don't….you need to pay attention to what I am saying."

"Lacey, could we talk later? I'm not in the best shape right now to listen to whatever it is that you **think **is important." Danny mumbled.

Maybe it was his statement that her thoughts may not warrant his attention this early in the morning. At any rate, she became more irked and a little crazy (she must admit) as she jerked his arm and yanked him towards his master bathroom.

Danny, very surprised at her behavior, was caught unaware and that was how Lacey was able to half-drag him to the bathroom. He was still fuzzy from the drinking last night and suffering from his headache as she pulled him into the shower stall. "Wake up so I can talk to you. I am so mad at you! How dare you do that and involve me in that mess with your cousin!" Lacey yelled these sentiments as she proceeding to turn on the water, grab the nozzle and fully spray Danny in the face and over his upper body as she continued to yell "Wake up!"

"I'm awake! S**t!" Danny yelled back.

Lacey, a little horrified at what she just did, but still upset, dropped the nozzle and said "Fine then. I will let you shower and get dressed. I will be waiting in your living room to discuss this ridiculous bet with your cousin in which you involved me." Lacey turned and walked out of Danny's sanctuary while she tried to collect her thoughts and calm down.

Danny was shocked at his ice queen's behavior. As he stood in the shower, he muttered "Well, well, who knew that there was that much fire underneath that ice. Interesting…"

DimplesValntina


	2. Chapter 2

**After The Burn – Chapter 2**

As Danny showered, he couldn't help thinking about Lacey's intrusion in his home this morning. She was amazing as a spitfire. Danny didn't know she had that side of her. Well, he had suspected…whenever he saw a spark in her eyes during those times when he would mercilessly tease her regarding her being extra friendly to the UPS guy during package deliveries to the office. She would respond that she was just being nice but he could detect her irritation at his teasing. He personally loved those moments because those times showed that she had more layers than just a beautiful straight-laced "number cruncher".

Danny knew Lacey had different facets to her personality. On one hand, she was very personable…well-liked around the office with her co-workers who always readily invited Lacey to lunch or to an after-hours outing. On the other, he had witnessed her cool 'ice queen' mode where she was overly-polite in response to unwanted advances by some of their clients or other undesirable suitors like his cousin, Charlie. Danny could attest to her brilliance at work where her analysis of profit-loss statements and investment performances proved valuable to deals he acquired.

Unbeknownst to Lacey, he had even witnessed her compassion when she interacted with office housekeeping staff. She went out of her way to engage with them in friendly conversation and asking them genuine questions about their day or their family. Thus, Danny thought he knew all aspects to Lacey Porter. So, this display of temper was very intriguing.

As he stuck his head underneath the spray from the showerhead in an attempt to fully awaken, Danny remembered the first time he met Lacey. As he lathered his body and hair, he chuckled as he remembered almost bumping into her as they approached the Marrick Industries building.

_**Nearly 3 years ago**_

He was late for a meeting and was in a hurry to join the proceedings. Nevertheless, he wouldn't be a proper gentleman if he didn't allow a gorgeous woman to enter the building before him. She looked up and said a 'thank you' as she smiled in gratitude. She was absolutely breathtaking. She had smooth caramel skin, long flowing raven hair, beautiful dimpled smile, generous full lips, and a fit body with just the right amount of curves encased in her tailored navy suit and white blouse.

Danny smiled back as he responded "You're welcome." If Danny had not been in such a hurry, he would have made an excuse to flirt with her. However, he needed to present some important information for this impromptu meeting change his cousin, Charlie, had orchestrated. Thank goodness, his other cousin, Cole, had informed him of the meeting change in time for Danny to gather his collection of profit statements and legal documents necessary to block Charlie's railroading tactics towards a poor acquisition possibility.

As the gorgeous woman continued forward to go towards the reception desk, Danny turned left to go towards the set of elevators. As he felt his pocket for his access card, he realized that he had left his security card at home. He uttered "Damn." He would have to approach the security desk to receive a temporary security badge. He didn't have time for this nonsense, but since the meeting was held on the conference room floor, which had no administrative staff, he would have no way to enter any conference room without security clearance.

He saw the gorgeous woman was signing in with Lydia on the right-hand side of the Reception counter. Danny had chosen to approach the far left-hand side of the counter. He was embarrassed that he had forgotten his security badge. Also, he couldn't afford the distraction nor temptation of the beauty that was at the other end of the counter. He had to stay focused.

Robert was on the far left-hand side of the counter. Robert had been a part of the Reception desk for ten years. He was a great worker and well-respected. As soon as Danny approached the counter, Robert, already presumptive on why one of the bosses was approaching the counter, had pulled a security badge from the desk and greeted him with a smile. "Good morning, sir! Did you need one of these this morning?"

Danny smirked as he issued a small laugh. "Good morning, Robert. Yes, it seems as though I didn't drink enough coffee yet. I am still a little groggy I guess…I forgot my badge when I was leaving my home this morning."

"No problem, sir. It will be just a moment. There. Here is your temporary badge. I placed the end-time as Midnight tonight, but if you need the time to be set for longer, just please phone us and we can change that for you." Robert responded.

Danny laughed again. "I hope I don't have to be here that late this evening. I have worked that late before, but hopefully, today, is just a regular work-day for me. Thank you for your help with the badge. Have a good rest of your day."

"Thank you. You have a good day as well, sir." Robert politely wished to Danny.

As Danny turned to leave the desk, he briefly looked to the right and noticed that the beauty had gone. Danny clipped the badge to his lapel and turned to walk towards the bank of elevators again. There was the attractive woman again as she awaited an elevator to arrive. Since they both would be awaiting elevators, Danny saw no harm in a little small talk.

"Hello." Danny began as he approached her with a warm smile on his face. The woman turned her head and at the recognition of his face, she smiled and offered a "hello" in return.

As an 'Up' elevator pinged its arrival, both the woman and Danny entered the compartment. As the doors were closing, the woman pressed Floor 6 and Danny pressed Floor 9. Floor 6 was the floor to the Benefits and Human Resources Departments. Danny was intrigued. "What brings you to Marrick Industries today?" he questioned the beauty.

She let out a small breath and smiled as she answered "I have an interview today."

"Well, I know you will do well." Danny slightly flirted.

"Well, thank you for the vote of confidence. I hope I do well today. This would be a good opportunity." Lacey disclosed.

"For what department are you interviewing?" Danny asked. He was curious what type of position she would deem fitting to her background.

"It is for the Executive Analysis and Research team. It is for a Senior Analyst position." Lacey responded with some excitement in her voice.

Danny was temporarily shocked. That was his area. He remembered that they had approved for three new members to join the team. He had been promised that he would be given first choice over the candidates that had made it through the final interview process. He was only aware of one of the candidates, who really already had the position – if she did well on the first-round interviewing process. It was a mindless formality really. This candidate, a Lacey Porter, had been given full pre-approval already because of his cousin Cole's influence.

Cole had been promoting that he had this amazing candidate for one of the Senior Analyst positions. Danny could tell that this was a personal issue and that nepotism was at work. However, he knew Cole utilized sound judgments in his decisions at work and that anyone Cole allowed in his personal inner circle would be someone of worth. He decided to trust his cousin's opinion and voiced preference to HR when interviewing the girl…she was 'good on paper'. If she performed well in the initial round of interviews and with the pre-screening behavioral assessment testing, then he would be accepting to Cole's employee recommendation.

He hoped the beauty besides him would perform well in her interviews, too. As the elevator opened for the 6th floor, Danny decided to wish the candidate well. "Good luck on your interview. What is your name? I will send good thoughts your way to do well."

As she exited the elevator, she smiled and replied as the elevator began to close. "Thank you! It's Lacey. Have a great day!"

Danny's mouth opened in surprise as the elevator began its ascent to the 9th Floor. That was Lacey Porter? That woman was Cole's recommendation? How did he know this attractive creature? Although these were questions he wanted to desperately know, he had to get through this meeting first. As Danny walked down the corridor to the appropriate conference room, he steeled himself to face Charlie and the other committee members as he prepared to counter the optimism this project had initially spurred. His cousin would not be pleased…although, Danny loved thwarting his cousin at any opportunity he could. He smirked as he turned the handle to enter the meeting.

After Danny's successful meeting, he personally inquired with Vivian of Human Resources to see how Lacey Porter had done in her first-round of interviews. Vivian informed him that she had performed the best of all the candidates. Lacey had provided great examples of her work experience, had exhibited a great personality, and had demonstrated a firm knowledge of Marrick Industries. Danny was pleased to hear Lacey's results. Normally, a candidate would encounter another round of interviews with parts of the management team. These weren't 'normal' circumstances since Lacey had already garnered pre-approval due to her Cole connections.

Lacey, of course, had accepted the company's offer of employment complete with a generous wage, and she began work two weeks later. When Lacey had entered his office, Danny had the delight of her surprised gasp when she noticed that her new boss was the man from the building entrance and the elevator. Danny smirked a little and rose from his desk. "Good morning. Welcome to Marrick Industries, Lacey Porter. I look forward to working with you." Danny greeted his startled new employee.

Lacey quickly recovered her wits and smiled. "Good morning, Mr. Desai. Thank you. It is a pleasure meeting you…and seeing you again."

"You come highly recommended by my cousin, Cole. Your resume and education also are stellar. I am sure you will be a valuable addition to our team." Danny smiled at Lacey, who looked stunning today in light gray.

Lacey replied "Thank you, sir. I look forward to working with you, Mr. Desai."

"Danny…just call me Danny. There are plenty of other Mr. Desais running around here."

Lacey smiled shyly. "Okay, Danny. On what work do you want me to start?"

The first day and subsequent weeks forward progressed successfully. Danny and Lacey worked well together. Of course, Danny still was attracted to Lacey. His breath still would catch whenever she wore some outfit that complemented her body or her complexion. Her beauty still amazed him even though she did not call any special attention to her looks. She let her brain and work ethics dispel anyone's theories that the new employee was 'looks-only'. Besides he had made a promise to Cole.

Cole had asked for Danny to leave Lacey alone – to just be 'professional' with her…not to date Lacey nor sleep with her. Initially, Danny had told Cole that if he and Lacey pursued anything outside of business, then it did not concern Cole. However, Cole had then reminded Danny that he owed Cole for saving Danny from Nicole, who had cheated on Danny with Charlie. Furthermore, Cole had said that Lacey was one of his best friends and that she only dated guys who would eventually want committed relationships. Danny didn't want any more long-term commitments since Nicole had broken his heart. So, he vowed to keep Lacey' at hand's length. It was the least he could do to thank Cole, one of his closest relatives…really, one of his best friends.

He noticed over time that although Lacey was still very pleasant and friendly to him, there was a coolness that had also settled with her after their first year of working together. He did not know what caused it. In the first year, whenever he had flirtatious banter with her, she would calmly respond with a smile and with a witty response back. During their second year of working together, she started responding in a very clinical matter most of the time.

He had asked her what was wrong. She had responded that she didn't want the other employees to assume the wrong ideas about their working relationship. Even though he had assured her that no one would question their professionalism, Lacey was resolute that she never wanted to be a part of any office gossip and that she valued both him and her position at Marrick Industries. Danny asked her if this stance had anything to do with his cousin, Charlie, who had made it known to Danny that he found Danny's new analyst very attractive. Lacey denied that Charlie was the source of her new ultra-professional, slightly distant demeanor, but Danny still had his speculations. Nevertheless, he complied with the new dynamics of their working relationship. He missed the very warm and witty Lacey. He would smile at the times when Lacey's icy persona would unexpectedly melt. These times would be when they had worked long hours and some of his old Lacey's flirtatious wit did make an appearance. He liked those moments. He wanted more of those moments.

_**Present Day**_

Danny exited the shower and dressed in navy slacks and a navy fitted tee. He viewed his image in the mirror as he contemplated something to do with his hair. He changed his mind and left his damp wavy hair down instead of binding it in a bun. He did not shave; he liked his goatee and the stubble of hair that was growing on his jawline. He knew his opponents found it a little unnerving especially when they saw that he looked far different than other young executives. Conversely, he knew women found his facial hair attractive as well as the ear cartilage piercing, the remnants of a dare in college.

His rich brown skintone was courtesy of the Desai ancestry. With his good-looking parents, he had inherited handsome features and great hair. He wasn't overly vain. He knew people found him attractive. Most importantly, he liked that he looked unconventional unlike the majority of the companies' executives. His unusual physical characteristics fit the rebel reputation he had earned. His mother and his great-uncle didn't try to make him conform into any particular cookie-cutter image. They had let him develop his own unique character.

As he left his bedroom and went towards the living room where his fiery tempered analyst had gone, he wondered how much longer he could keep his promise to Cole regarding a professional status-quo relationship with Lacey. The years had not diminished his attraction to her. Danny didn't want to damage the great working relationship he had with Lacey. Yet, this bet with Charlie may be the breaking point of Danny's pact with Cole.

_***Lovely Readers, thank you for your reading and for your continued support. I am working on another update for 'After The Burn' to post very soon. I have also worked on excerpts for 'The Beautiful Ones'. I hope to post those this upcoming week. **_

_**DimplesValntina **_


	3. Chapter 3

**After the Burn – Chapter 3**

Lacey was somewhat impatient as she waited for Danny to shower and dress in order to join her to discuss the bet he had made with Charlie that involved her. She was still irritated but the initial anger was beginning to subside. She and Danny would just think of solution which would allow Danny to 'save face' and yet remove her from the equation of the p*ssing contest between Danny and Charlie. She didn't want to be some prize sought between the two Desai studs. There were enough women already vying for that title. That was why both men were invited to all the grand parties in the Upper New York society. Actually all of the single Desai executives (Danny, Charlie, her friend, Cole) were considered the most eligible bachelors amongst the rich and connected. Unlike the "groupies" who flocked to the three men during any social function, Lacey wasn't looking for a rich Desai-related husband. She just wanted to work in the field she loved and be respected for the work she contributed.

As Lacey waited for Danny in his living room, she began to reflect on how she met Danny and how she became an employee of Marrick Industries.

_**3 Years Ago**_

Lacey had been in a hurry to her interview. She was very excited about the opportunity to interview at Marrick Industries. Her friend, Cole Desai Worthington, had arranged for her consideration for a position. She was beyond thankful for the networking prospect Cole had provided via this exclusive invitation to meet today. She knew several people in her field who had tried unsuccessfully to pass the initial pre-screenings to even interview inside the hallowed halls of Marrick Industries. At first, she did not want Cole to use his familial connections to help her. She had hidden the fact that she had applied for the Senior Analyst position. One of their mutual friends, Sarita, had blurted Lacey's secret to Cole, who immediately set into motion the circumstances that had Lacey appearing here today.

She was so excited that she almost bumped into a very attractive man who was also about to enter the building. He was a gentleman, allowing Lacey to enter first. As she smiled and told him 'thank you', she regretted that she didn't have time for a little small talk with him. Sure, he was quite a looker, but there seemed something else that drew her attention to him. She wasn't able to pinpoint why she was drawn to him. It was intangible but definitely a connection. Regardless, she had to ignore that pull and focus on calming her nerves for her pending interview.

After she registered at the Reception desk and was waiting for the elevator to arrive, there was that man again. She was glad to ride the elevator and get to have some light banter with him. He even wished her good luck on her interview as she exited the elevator. As Lacey left the building after her interview, she felt a little disheartened that she had not encountered him again before she left Marrick Industries. She didn't even know his name.

On her first day as a Marrick Industries' employee, she had been anxious to begin. Everyone she had encountered so far had been very nice. She looked forward to the afternoon when she would finally meet her boss. She had been told that he was one of the younger executives (even her own age) but that he had a brilliant mind and that she would learn a lot assisting him. She had been thoroughly shocked to discover the man from the elevator was her new boss – her very striking new boss, Daniel Desai. However, he was just as pleasant and as charming as Lacey had remembered from that day of her interview. Lacey had felt she would definitely enjoy working with 'Danny'.

Later, one month after she first started working at Marrick Industries, Cole had decided to invite Lacey for a little impromptu session of drinks and dinner to belatedly celebrate her new position at his family's company. Belle Salut rooftop restaurant (with its state-of-the-art bar) was an exclusive Manhattan hangout where the very beautiful and very rich frequented. At first, Lacey had rebuked the invite to the swanky place. She would have been perfectly happy with a quiet dinner at a less notorious destination.

Cole was adamant that they celebrate somewhere fancier. Cole was always very generous with his friends – sometimes embarrassing Lacey with the extravagance of that generosity. However, Cole was never condescending with his wealth and genuinely wanted to share whatever was at his disposal with his close circle of friends. Lacey was grateful for his friendship.

Thus, she accepted the invitation to Belle Salut after Cole's continuous pleas. She had never been there; it was normally not within her particular social circles although she had heard it had great food and atmosphere. Besides, she didn't want to disappoint her friend, Cole. He was really happy that Lacey had a secure position where she would learn exponentially under his family's tutelage.

Lacey also wanted to uplift Cole's spirits. He had been having some difficult times with his on-again/off-again girlfriend, Kristen. Currently, he and Kristen were on a break. Lacey was his confidant on his relationship woes; she offered good advice but she never judged Cole when his actions were directly opposite of the advice she had given. Although Lacey believed Cole was too good for Kristen, she would let him assess if the costs of that relationship outweighed any benefits. She was confident that Cole would eventually determine that he and Kristen were reaching the conclusion of their relationship.

Lacey could sympathize. She had disengaged from one of those types of relationships a couple of years ago during college. Finally during her senior year, she realized that her goals and Archie's aspirations did not fit in the long-term future. She had been the one to break that relationship. It has been a very difficult decision, one Archie still had not supported fully, but Lacey had felt the choice had become clear. It was best to grant Archie his freedom and to part without malice – instead of a prolonged relationship which ended in bitterness later. The breakup benefited that they were in different careers and lived in different states.

Lacey still received texts or calls from Archie sporadically. Likewise, she still responded but she always was careful and reserved in her correspondence with him. Lacey was fine with her now casual association with him but she did not want to place false hopes in Archie's mind of a reconciliation for the two of them. She respected him too much. Additionally, if positions were reversed, she would not want Archie to take advantage nor abuse any residue feelings she had for him. Lacey would always reflect positively on her relationship with Archie. He had been the perfect college boyfriend – just not the perfect life partner.

Lacey had dates over the years since but no one had sparked her interest nor presented any real possibility towards a long-term relationship. There were a few who had wanted more than friendship but she was able to let them down easy without bruising their ego. Some of those guys were still friends. The guys she had dated were nice guys but no one had intrigued her enough for that next step.

As Lacey had dressed for that evening to meet Cole for her celebratory/Cole's cheer-up outing, she decided she would wear her sexiest outfit tonight. She would be Cole's wing-woman. That way, she could make her friend appear even more desirable that his adorable mug already was. Her goal was to allow Cole to see there were more women who could potentially be a better fit for him than Kristen.

Although she didn't know the type of women that frequented Belle Salut, Lacey figured that Cole would at least appreciate the attention from the ladies. It would build up his ego. Cole was a good-looking guy but sometimes his cousins, Danny and Charlie, overshadowed that fact when all three were in a room together. Tonight, Lacey decided she could attract all the attention towards her bestie so that other women would notice him. Then, Lacey could make it known that she was only the 'best friend' and that Cole was an eligible, available catch just awaiting the right woman.

As Lacey arrived to the location, she wondered if she had dressed a little too femme fatale. She had chosen a sexy emerald green halter dress which had a defined cut which emphasized her sculpted athletic shoulders and beautiful neck. It had a tapered waist and the half-backless part of the dress emphasized the elegant definition of her upper back. The dress draped in a Grecian flow from the waist down to the top of her knees where the dress stopped. She had gathered her hair into a smoothed chignon. She had chosen malachite drops to accent her ears and a green chalcedony ring on her right hand. She had accented her look with gold strapped high heels. Her makeup had been minimal except for a bold wine-colored lip and a slight apricot bronzer on her cheekbones.

Her bold dressing was deemed a success when she noticed her friend's delighted expression when Cole spotted Lacey walking towards him. "Lacey! You look like a million bucks, girl. You look like a total super model…a goddess."

Lacey laughed as her friend effused the most lavish compliments. She replied "Thank you for the overwhelming stamp of approval. All of this is just for you."

"For me?" Cole was surprised.

"Yes." Lacey affirmed as she smiled with a twinkle in her eyes and held out her hand for Cole to shake. "Hello, I'm Lacey…aka 'Cole's wing woman' tonight at your service."

"Nice!" Cole laughed wholeheartedly as he shook Lacey's hand and then pulled her into his arms for a bear hug. "Thanks. This is just what I needed for tonight."

For the next 2 hours, Cole and Lacey had drinks in the bar area where Lacey spotted the most beautiful women and devised different ways of diverting their attention towards Cole. She would then use her most inventive banter to charm the ladies into meeting her 'shy' friend. The night was successful so far with Cole acquiring a couple of numbers from viable female candidates. Cole suggested that they should eat before Lacey arranged for one of those ladies to be his future wife.

They had finished their meal and was about to have dessert when Cole looked up and uttered "Well, looks like we have a guest about to join us."

"Hey, you two. Do you mind if I join you?" Danny Desai, her new boss, pulled out a chair and planted himself at their table.

"No, cousin, go ahead." Cole laughed with his reply since Danny had already "joined" them before awaiting permission to sit.

"I don't think I have seen you here before, Lacey. I definitely would have remembered seeing you." Danny was slightly flirtatious with her as his gaze swept over what Lacey was wearing.

Lacey was a little flustered by Danny's attention, especially since he was her boss. "Oh, this is my first time here."

"You look very beautiful." Danny complimented Lacey.

She smiled and said "Thank you."

Cole commented "Lacey and I were celebrating her first month at Marrick Industries."

Danny's attention turned back to his cousin. "Yes, she has been doing great so far. You were right in your recommendation of her. Everyone thinks highly of her work."

Cole responded "Good to hear that cousin. Yes, Lacey is awesome. I'm glad you are working with one of my best friends."

Lacey, as she listened to the slight exchange, recognized what Cole was trying to convey to Danny. Lacey was "off limits" as far as anything other than work. Even if Cole had not warned her already about women falling easily for Danny Desai, she would have determined that herself.

Tonight was the affirmation of that: Danny looked gorgeous. He was beautiful in that European playboy type of way: he had ditched his tie from earlier, his tailored shirt had a few buttons undone (which emphasized some of his light bronze skin), and his hair had been released from the confinement of a bun. His long, flowing hair, curled in waves, was highlighted by a cartilage piercing in his right ear. Yes, the slight adjustments had transformed Danny into a pirate wearing corporate clothing.

Then, there were his eyes. They were the color of maple and framed by long, very thick lashes. The pull of those eyes when Danny gazed at someone was intoxicating. Lacey had to fight to not succumb to his magnetism….she could just imagine how it felt when Danny actually set his sights on a lady to pursue her.

He would gaze deep into a woman's eyes as he paid close attention to what she said….very arresting, if she would allow herself to think that. Lacey had to concentrate carefully at times because it could be very easy to become lost in that gaze. Therefore, she would dismiss any undercurrent of interest and tell herself that he was an overwhelming flirt for any cute woman. It was meaningless. The man probably knew his power over women and he probably enjoyed any attention from harmless banter. Lacey could mentally dismiss any guy who was "off-limits" like a boss or a co-worker. Who wanted the mess of facing a jilted ex in the workplace every day anyway? Lacey was determined to be very careful - most especially around gorgeous charmers like Danny.

What also helped her determination was the fact that his beautiful brunette ex-girlfriend, Nicole, had stared daggers at Lacey when she had visited Danny's office this week. As Nicole left in a huff that day, she made a point of stopping by Lacey's desk to utter "Don't worry; I don't want him…he's all yours." Lacey had been a little astounded by the comment. She had been very professional in her greeting to the woman. Furthermore, Lacey had been engrossed with data from performance reports that she needed to review for the project she had been assigned. Lacey did not have further interactions with Nicole so the animosity extended towards Lacey was unwarranted.

A little miffed about the brunette's attitude towards her, Lacey thought "If you have to spend that much energy throwing hate at other girls, one has to wonder what type of relationship you and Danny truly had." Lacey shook her head to clear any negativity generated by that visit. She focused back on her task. She didn't want to be concerned about any women in Danny's life. Even though he was her age and he was very 'easy on the eyes', Danny was her boss. She didn't need any complications with this new job.

Lacey pulled her thoughts away from Nicole and concentrated on the men in front of her. Danny and Cole were making arrangements for a trip out of state. They were attending a NASCAR rally. Cole loved anything with speed, as Lacey could attest from college. That was interesting that he and Danny shared a similar love for speed. The rest of the evening went well with Danny only ordering a dessert and drinks since Cole and Lacey were almost concluded with their evening.

As they were all leaving the establishment, Lacey noticed the jealous looks aimed at her while she walked besides Cole and Danny. While waiting for their cars in the valet area, Danny chuckled when Cole mentioned that Lacey had been his 'wing woman' that night. Danny's car arrived first. After he wished Cole and Lacey a good night, he turned to say to Lacey "Well, that's an interesting skill you have there, Lacey. If I need a 'wing woman' in the future, I will be sure to let you know." He gave her a wink, tipped the valet, and then drove away.

"It seems like you two are getting along well." Cole stated as Lacey and he still awaited the arrival of their cars.

"Yes, your cousin is very nice." Lacey replied as she smiled.

"Look, Lace, Danny is a great guy, highly intelligent, and a shrewd businessman." Cole detailed some of Danny's attributes. Lacey nodded an affirmation. Cole continued "Danny is also charismatic, persuasive, and a bit of a 'ladies' man' – which isn't a bad thing. Danny isn't looking for a long-term commitment. He makes sure that the women he dates know that. Although he communicates this, a lot of women still have these expectations that they will mold him into what they want him to be. Danny isn't like that. As a consequence, quite a few of them get hurt – trying to make 'permanent' out of something that was always meant to be 'light and fun'." Cole looked Lacey directly in the eye.

Lacey knew what Cole meant by his kind warning. "What? I hear you. You don't have to worry about me. He is my boss. I am a new employee who likes working for your company. I also want to make an excellent impression to reflect well on my reference." Lacey elbowed Cole in the side playfully.

On her drive home that night, Lacey wanted her assurances to Cole to be correct. She would try her best to maintain only a professional relationship with Danny – actually with everyone – at Marrick Industries.

Over that first year, she would walk that tightrope between the light flirtation and the appropriately-accepted "subordinate" interactions with her young boss. Then, something happened to someone she loved and Lacey saw the dangers of an office romance gone wrong. As a result, she vowed to adhere to a firm guideline while working at Marrick Industries: be friendly, be accurate, and keep a very defined line of professionalism when dealing with Danny Desai.

_**Present Day**_

That first year was great experience for Lacey. She and Danny accomplished a lot and made an excellent team. Whenever any hiccups of unexpected personal tension occurred between them, Lacey was excellent at reversing that momentary 'spark' back to ultra-professionalism, as appropriate for an employee.

Lacey nods her head as she thinks about her sister Clara. Lacey knows she made a good decision about limiting any excess emotions (like teasing or flirting) towards Danny. Now, if she could end this silly bet, things could return to 'status quo' between boss and employee. As she saw Danny coming towards the living room, she took a deep breath as she calmed her emotions to at least talk to him sensibly. If the sensible approach did not work, then she would have to devise a plan of her own.

_***Lovely Readers, thank you for your continued reading and support. I apologize for the delay. I hope you enjoyed reading.**_

_**DimplesValntina **_


	4. Chapter 4

**After the Burn – Chapter 4**

Danny approaches Lacey in the living room. He has stopped by the kitchen to take a pain reliever with water. While there, he also fixed a cup of coffee and grabbed a soda from the refrigerator for Lacey, since she does not like coffee.

He places their beverages on coasters on the coffee table and gingerly lowers himself onto the sofa directly across from Lacey who is sitting in one of the set of sofa chairs. They each take a couple of sips of their beverages before either speaks.

Danny takes the initiative to start. "Okay, I feel somewhat human again. Let's talk."

Lacey decides to try to be neutral as she begins the conversation. "So, let's try this again. I will be more specific. Why did you make the bet with Charlie? What were the exact circumstances that led you to include me in your bet?"

Danny doesn't look at Lacey at first. He instead twirls his gold ring on pointer finger. It is a habit he has when he is mentally evaluating options. He chooses his words carefully. "It wasn't my best move, I'll admit. I had been drinking. I was feeling great and Charlie comes over gloating about some big opportunity. He made some cheap shot at me. I refused to take his bait. I didn't need him killing my good mood."

"He said he wanted to make it interesting – if I was man enough to play against him. He asked did I want a challenge. I took some callous shot at him by saying 'I was walking elsewhere to find someone who was actually worthy of challenging me.' I had turned around. I was going to walk away and then he asked. 'What if it involves Lacey…or are you afraid of losing another woman to me?' "

"I responded 'Naw, I'm 'first born' second-generation Desai. 'First borns' are never afraid, son. It's in the bloodline.' Sure, I should not have said that since Charlie can be sensitive about being adopted; but he had gone for my Achilles heel with that Nicole reference. I went for his. Since he had mentioned your name and since I know he has feelings for you – unrequited, I know – I turned back around. I was intrigued at what he meant. I also wanted to make sure there was some way I could interfere with whatever plan he had involving you. He knew you were a sore spot for him to mention to me."

Danny pauses in order to take another sip of his coffee.

Lacey takes the opportunity to ask "What was the bet?"

"VanLandingham's is a huge name in conservation and research. There has been talks that the CEO has been scoping interest for the rights to his land. He is getting old. Some of his heirs are either too incompetent to run the business or are uninterested in taking the reins of the organization. Their land has oil on it which they have been conservatively drilling. Another bonus is that they are self-sustaining over all. Most of the methods they use are the best with the least amount of environmental destruction. They only use their lands resources in limited amounts. They want to keep as much wildlife and undisturbed nature as they can on the property. Rumor has it the company is sitting on much more oil than they know. So, this could be an unlimited opportunity for whatever company managed to score the deal with VanLandingham's."

"So, Charlie wants to win this deal. Why does he want to challenge you? This seems to be the perfect opportunity to join forces with as many execs as he can to ensure Marrick Industries wins the deal." Lacey can't understand why Charlie wouldn't want to do what is best for the whole company – not just for him.

Danny nods. "Now, that would be called 'being a team player.' Charlie can sometimes go rogue and be completely selfish instead. This would be one of those times…especially if he can skew the results to benefit him the most. Hence, the bet..."

"Okay…what are the specifics of the bet? What does this have to do with me?"

Danny takes another sip of his coffee. He looks her directly in the eyes. "Whoever scores the land from VanLandingham's is the winner. The loser forfeits rights to succeed leadership in the future as President if chosen. For example, if the loser is chosen naturally as President by the Board, then the winner of this bet will become President instead. The winner also gets the first choice over the new projects and the re-distribution of staff."

Lacey gasps as she feels dread coming upon her.

Danny concludes. "You will become the Senior Analyst for the declared winner. The loser cannot even interfere with any possible relationship with you and the winner, if the winner decides to pursue you."

Lacey is incensed. She slides towards the edge of the sofa chair. She demands "How could you?! Why did you agree to those terms?"

"Lacey, it's not that simple…."

"Don't patronize me, Danny! How would you feel if you were treated like chattel…some property to be sold or traded? How would you feel if your value was determined strictly by your looks? You're whole worth measured by someone's perception of your physical beauty or lack thereof?"

Danny looks down at the table. "I wouldn't like it." He looks back at Lacey. "I get it, but you are more than that. You are above all of that nonsense. You have rise above how people view you. You are more than just your physical features."

"I shouldn't have to 'rise above' anything like that. I should be given the fair opportunity based on my performance, abilities, and skills." Lacey is so tired of the b.s. that women get on regular basis. Of course, it didn't help that Regina Simmons, the analyst on Charlie's team, used her looks to advance within the company. Rumor had it that she was a regular bedmate of Charlie whenever he wanted. Regina had tried several failed attempts to attract Danny.

"Okay, I agree with everything you are saying; but the world doesn't really operate by that standard – as much as one would like it to do so. It's a terrible stereotype to have to encounter continuously." Danny agrees with Lacey that women should not be judge on looks before competencies but he is realistic.

"Do you understand how I feel to be a part of this bet? I feel like my value is just as an object – a toy to be quarreled over. I am a person who loves her job, who is great at her job. If execs are going to be vying over me, it should be the value I can bring to their team because of my intellect and ability – not my looks. Also, I am not a prostitute. I determine who whom I involve myself. I would never date Charlie. He can never force me to date him."

"No, you are correct. You determine who you date. Charlie can't force you into anything. Regardless of the winner of the bet, Cole and the other execs wouldn't stand for it. That was Charlie's zealous wishful thinking – that he would be able to charm his way into a relationship with you. He wanted to make sure that I wouldn't be able to poison you against him nor try any actions to stop his pursuit of you – if you allowed him to pursue you." Danny feels like sh*t for involving Lacey in the bet. Charlie goaded him but Danny should have acted smarter.

Lacey remains silent while processes all that Danny has revealed. Lacey is still angry but she knows that Charlie can be very weasly when he wants something. Charlie has always made suggestions towards Lacey that she should join his team or accept his lunch or dinner invitation sometime. He always makes her feel like an object – not as a colleague.

This bet reminds Lacey of women not being in control of their own destiny….men always controlling all the cards. She had said 'no' to Charlie romantically….why has that placed her on his radar to try to control her and over-rule her right to say 'no'. She doesn't want to work for him nor be involved in any way with him. She is disappointed that Danny would involve himself in this mess.

She looks at him. He does look upset and remorseful. His eyes appear to be pleading for her to understand his position and pleading for her forgiveness. She reminds herself of the difference between Danny and Charlie's treatment of her since she has been employed three years with Marrick Industries.

Unlike Charlie, Danny has always treated her with respect…the same respect that Cole has always given her. Danny valued her input towards projects. He really listened to her when she presented ideas or questioned the feasibility of report data. Even when Danny has flirted with her, there was nothing lascivious about it. It never felt harassing. It actually flattered her; but based on her sister's history, Lacey learned that flattery could have painful results. That was the real reason why she avoided anything personal with Danny.

"Lacey, I'm sorry." Danny wanted Lacey to trust in him again. He feels like he made a huge mountain between them by accepting that bet. Maybe he would have made a better decision if he hadn't been fueled by alcohol and yes, fueled by jealousy of his cousin wanting someone Danny desired. "I apologize for involving you into our pettiness. I shouldn't have let him goad me like that. I will figure some way to win." Danny is very remorseful.

"No, **we** will figure some way to win." Lacey is determined to 'best' Charlie. She is sick of his advances and his games.

As Danny and Lacey prepare to put together a strategy of how they will proceed, Lacey becomes frustrated again at his cousin. "I just don't know why Charlie thinks he can completely change my mind to actually date him – even if I were working for him."

"My cousin desires you – any guy would." Danny explains.

Lacey's face registers surprise that Danny would say that.

Danny smiles at her modesty. "What? Lacey, you know you're gorgeous."

Danny speaks again but nods as he gets a certain glint in his eyes. "My cousin loves gorgeous women. Plus, you're smart and you ignore him. You're elusive and you don't fawn over him. Thus, you are a challenge. He can't resist a challenge."

Lacey throws up her arms in frustration. "I don't want to be anyone's challenge."

Danny throws her a look as he tries to get her to see his point. "Well for us, it works because we can use that to our advantage."

Lacey still doesn't care. "I won't be a pawn in your game with him."

"You wouldn't be a pawn. We could control the game. Besides, he thinks you will be like Regina. However, he underestimates you. We could use that as an unexpected factor. Don't you want to have the last laugh on Charlie?" Danny asks.

By sleeping her way into Charlie's good graces and by being snobbish to other female analysts, Regina gives women like Lacey a bad reputation. Lacey and other women have had additional ceilings placed on their positions because some men expected women to show their 'appreciation' in order to be considered for projects or opportunities.

"Okay. I will help you win, but only on mutually-agreed terms. If I feel you aren't honoring my wishes, then I have the option to pull out of the deal. You involved me without considering the position I will be in – if we lose. The least you can do is to agree that I won't have to do actions that will compromise me further." Lacey wants to win but not at the cost to her dignity or anything damaging to her.

"Of course. I wouldn't do that to you. Yes, I involved you in this stupid bet - again I am sorry – but I promise I will watch over you. I will ensure you won't suffer in any way. We will win but we won't result to fighting dirty like Charlie likes to do. We just have to out-think him and then out-smart him." Danny reassures Lacey that they can keep everything 'above board' and still win.

They spend the next two hours strategizing some possible proposals that they can present to VanLandingham's. They roughly sketch a couple of drafts to plot the administrative and re-structuring costs as well as the risks to those proposals. They brainstorm the benefits to the end users, the possible profits, the important audit and compliance controls to build within the models, and the conservation components that can tie everything together.

They feel they have a solid start. They just need to fill in the gaps with the financial research before they start their campaign to schmooze and wow VanLandingham's. Danny suggests networking to see what mutual allies or interests the Desais and the VanLandinghams have in common. Lacey additionally suggests that the 'upper hand' may be to discover more about the VanLandinghams themselves…something more personal that they can work into their proposals in order to 'humanize' Marrick Industries – since the other company has been known to be prickly towards conglomerates.

Danny rolls his head from side to side in circles to stretch the muscles in his neck. He then proceeds to roll his shoulders and then stretch. Two thoughts enter Lacey's brain. The first thought is that she feels a little sorry for Danny. Although his mind this morning has been as sharp as it normally is, he probably still is suffering a little from the drinking from the night before.

The second thought is that she is feeling a little turned on by Danny. His shirt had lifted as Danny stretched his arms above his head. His stomach had been exposed above his pants. Lacey saw his flat stomach, his belly button, a trail of hair above and continuing below the belly button into his pants. That drew her vision to the zipper of his pants.

"Do you like what you see?"

Lacey raises her eyes to Danny's face. She widens her eyes at what she sees reflected there. His face has a smirk as his features depict a bit of self-satisfaction. His eyes seem to be more molten than their normal maple color…they harbored some desire in those depths.

Lacey's breath quickens for a moment as her mouth drops open to take in more oxygen. Danny's gaze lingers on Lacey's full lips. She bites the corner of her lip in a nervous gesture before she releases it.

Danny swallows and opens his own mouth as he, too, finds it a little harder to breathe. "I definitely like what I see" is Danny's response.

_***Lovely Readers, thank you for reading and thank you for your continued words of encouragement. Since I was so late in completing the update for this fic, I am uploading 3 chapters (Chp 4 – 6). I wanted to compensate for the extended wait. **_

_**I hope you enjoyed the chapter. DimplesValntina **_


	5. Chapter 5

**After the Burn – Chapter 5**

_***Last we left, Danny and Lacey were in a lustful trance…Lacey was enraptured by his body being slightly revealed when he was stretching his arms. She had been caught staring. When she lifted her gaze to his eyes, the lust reflected there made her speechless. Danny asked her if she liked what she saw. When she couldn't respond, he found his voice and stated he definitely liked what he saw. Let us join them again.**_

They stay in that tense moment for a minute. Then, Lacey tears her gaze away. She forces herself to look at the clock on the wall. "Oh, look at the time. I should go." She begins to organize their notes into a neat pile.

Lacey continues speaking a little hurriedly. "Thank you for your time. I feel better now that I have talked with you about the bet." She starts to grab her purse to leave.

"Good. Have lunch with me."

"What? Oh, no, thank you. You probably should be resting. Did you say that you were nursing a slight hangover?" Lacey stalls.

"Well, my invitation is two-fold. (1) Greasy food helps my system better when I have a hangover and (2) I probably shouldn't be driving since I am not fully recovered." Danny reasoned as he felt Lacey would be too compassionate to deny him.

"So, you need my chauffeuring services…." Lacey gives him the side-eye.

He gives a small laugh as he had not considered that response. He smirks. "You want me to be safe, don't you?"

Lacey smiles in spite of herself.

Danny tries to sweeten the possibility of a 'yes' from Lacey. "Besides, it gives me a small way to say 'I'm sorry'. Mickey's Diner has the best cheesy hashbrowns and apple-smoked bacon.

Lacey looks up towards the ceiling to consider his offer. Should she? Did she dare? She smiled slyly without showing her teeth, but a dimple did flash.

Danny teases. "You're wanting to say 'yes'. I can feel it. Look, it is just brunch/late lunch…unless you want something fancier." If she wants another place, Danny doesn't care. He will try any tactic to make her say 'yes'.

Lacey answers "No, Mickey's sounds good. We can talk more strategy."

Danny is silent. He knows he won't talk strategy but more personal matters instead. He keeps this thought to himself. Instead, he nods his head and offers a smile. "Mickey's it is. My head and stomach thank you."

As Lacey drives out of the city limits of Green Grove, Danny is slouched in the passenger seat. He looks like Johnny Depp but wearing more expensive casual wear instead of bohemian attire. Lacey stops at one last light before they can use the exit for the Interstate. At the light, a guy in a convertible in the next lane on her side, tries to get her attention. Lacey gives a terse nod to him in greeting as she directs her attention back to the light.

Danny comments "Of course that guy would try to get your attention. You're gorgeous." Lacey turns her gaze to him. He motions his head. "Green light. Have I flustered you?"

Lacey is indignant. "Of course not." She drives towards the exit.

"Good" Danny replies as he smirks behind his sunglasses.

Lacey drives as Danny directs to the place he wants to dine…supposedly a place which has the best food in this part of New York. The drive was about 20 minutes outside of the limits of Green Grove. The town is much smaller than Green Grove but the houses and boutiques on Main Street look very charming.

Danny directs Lacey to go to the end of Main Street and stop at an usual shaped red and yellow building. It has the words 'Mickey's Diner' flashing in neon lights at the side of the building. Some might call this type of place a 'dive' but Lacey found it cute. It had a 'lost in time' feel to it. The place seemed to be busy with customers of all ages.

Danny is obviously a regular here. The waitresses say enthusiastic greetings to him and a couple of the patrons nod in his direction. One waitress in her forties, Joyce, sits them in a booth and promises to return to take their order.

The diner has a certain 50's flair with the décor and the staff's uniforms. It is cozy and warm. It is not a place where an heir to an industry fortune would normally be dining.

"How did you find this place?" Lacey likes the diner but wonders what attracted Danny to this type of place.

Danny shrugged a shoulder. "I would say it kinda found me. I had turned on the wrong street when I had taken an interstate construction detour. I wound up here…stopped to ask for directions, decided that I was hungry, and ended up enjoying the place. I've been a semi-regular ever since…at least when I get the chance."

"So, do you think we should start Monday on reaching out to your contacts to get a head start on Charlie? We don't know what traction he has gotten so far with the Vanlandingham's." Lacey was anxious to get as far ahead of Charlie as they could. They could use an advantage to win this bet.

Danny refuses to let work interfere with today's lunch. "Na…na…na..we are in a workfree zone. Monday, we can discuss work strategy…not today." He spread his arms wide to illustrate his point. "We don't bring work to Mickey's. We eat. We people watch. We talk about everything under the sun, except work. That's how we roll at Mickey's." He grins in boyish delight.

Lacey laughs. Silly Danny is infectious. He is right. She should just enjoy the lunch. She smiles as she nods her consent. "Okay…no work."

"That smile kills me, you know." He looks at her with an intense look in his eyes. He has a semblance of a small smile on his face.

How does he switch so quickly from boyish to 'all man' in an instant? The look Danny is giving Lacey right now makes her a little nervous. There seems to be something simmering slightly underneath that compliment. She warns him softly "Thanks, but also no flirting at Mickey's."

Danny smirks as Joyce comes back to their booth. He smiles at her with a look of confusion on his face. "Joyce, did someone pass a 'no flirting' policy here and no one told me?"

"Honey, everybody flirts here. That's the reason why you and so many others come back." Joyce winks at him. She turns her attention to Lacey. "Who is your girlfriend here?"

Lacey quickly responds "Oh, I'm not…"

Danny interrupts "I'm still working on it, Joyce, but she's playing hard to get."

Joyce shakes her head as she gives Lacey a sympathetic look. "Sweetie, you've got more willpower than me. Our Danny is quite the charmer. How in the world are you resisting him?"

Danny pipes in "Yeah, Lacey, how in the world are you resisting me?" He gives her a look of mock dismay.

Lacey just shakes her head and rolls her eyes upward. He is really too much sometimes.

Joyce continues "Lacey…isn't that a beautiful name?"

Lacey smiles. "Thank you."

"Beautiful name to match her physical beauty…." Danny adds.

Lacey gives him a half-hearted glare as she chastises "Stop it!"

Joyce chuckles as she places the menus in front of them. They place their order. Soon, they are dining on the delicious Juicy Lucy hamburger sliders, cinnamon sugar dough twists, cheesy hashbrowns, mac-and-cheese with apple-smoked bacon and bread crumbs, and pork rib burnt ends. This is a wacky mixture of food choices but Danny insists that Lacey experience the full treatment of the signature Mickey's Diner dishes. So, they decide to share one order of each of the most infamous items so they could sample it all.

During those the eating of the main dishes, Danny asks Lacey about herself. "So, Lacey, when you aren't being this super ace analyst, what do you do for fun?"

"I love to paint, oils mostly, with a group at one of the local art warehouses. I volunteer with an organization which organizes activities and workshops for teen girls. I have a core group of college friends that I see quite often. I love to attend plays and museums. Sometimes, I get to attend some hockey, soccer or baseball games." Lacey's face becomes animated as she lists her different interests.

"Oh, a girl who loves sports. Nice!" Danny is a sports enthusiast.

"Well, I would say that I **enjoy** sports." Lacey corrects him. "My dad was the sports lover in our household. Since he only had two daughters, he was determined that we share his favorite pastime with him – attending sporting events. We went to a lot of local semi-professional and professional games. Plus Dad played on a couple of amateur county teams. Because he had no sons, my sister and I tried our best to learn the different play formations, the players' names and positions…you name it. Instead of an undying love for the sports themselves, we just loved spending time with our dad. So, while I am not a die-hard sports junky, I do have much appreciation for the players and for the fans who love sports."

Danny wishes that he had that more of that closeness with his own dad, Vikram. They do share the love of soccer and the love of Marrick Industries, but they don't have much more in common. They are two completely different personalities. It sounds like Lacey is lucky in the father department. "He sounds like a great guy."

"He was. He passed away four years ago." Lacey has a sad smile on her face.

Danny reaches over to touch her hand which has been resting on the table besides her beverage. "I'm sorry to hear of your loss."

"Thank you." Lacey pulls her hand away to drink some of her beverage. It is a tactic to change the focus away from her. She sets the glass back down and repeats the same question back to Danny. "So, Daniel Desai, when you aren't being the top-notch junior executive at Marrick Industries, what do you do for fun?"

"Absolutely nothing. I just go to work and then I come straight home. My friends keep telling me it is the quickest way to becoming an old maid." Danny deadpans this answer.

Lacey gives him a 'what the hell' look as she cross her arms in front of her chest.

Danny smirks and then issues a short laugh. "I didn't fool you even for a little bit did I?" At Lacey's rolling of her eyes, he gives an playful grin. "Okay, what I **really** do in my free time is play soccer. Although I do participate in a few other sports sporadically, my love is soccer. That's the one hobby my father passed down to me. We used to watch soccer all the time on tv and he had friendships with some league owners so we would attend some games from time to time. Other than sports, I love traveling. I hang out with a few close buddies and Cole."

"What about your family?" Danny asks.

"My immediate family consists of my mother and my sister. My mother is an elementary school teacher in a small beach town a couple hours away from here. My sister lives with her. She is transitioning between jobs right now." Lacey gives simple information about her family.

"Are they beautiful like you?"

Lacey blushes a little. She is a little surprised at the question. "People often say that Clara, my sister, and I favor our mother a lot. They are both beautiful, inside and out."

After they finish the main courses, Joyce brings a dessert menu. Mickey's is also known for their homemade desserts. Again, Danny insists that they must share at least 2 of the most popular desserts: the Mickey's Turtle Fudge Cake and the Linda's Lemon Cream Cake. Lacey and Danny remark that they will be thoroughly stuffed afterwards but each has enjoyed everything they have been eating. Equally, they both agree that they must hit the gym extra hard this week to balance today's high caloric intake.

During the remaining bites of their desserts, Danny poses the question that he really wants answered. "So, Lacey, do you have a boyfriend or is there a long list of men pining for you?" He already knows some of Lacey's dating history via a late-night drink fest with Cole. Still, he wants to hear Lacey's account of any recent relationship status.

Lacey looks astonished. "How did we get on this topic? I thought we were keeping things light. Next you will be asking me my blood type."

Danny offers his information up-front as incentive for Lacey to do likewise. "Hi, I'm Danny. I'm type-O Negative. I do date but I am presently single. I have had several girlfriends, but only one major relationship - which didn't end well. What I look for in a woman is someone who is smart, nice, and challenges my mind. It also doesn't hurt if she is attractive and brunette. Any more relationship questions for me?"

"No…actually, that was far more than I even wondered." Lacey lies. She actually has known a little of his history from Cole, who had warned Lacey that Danny had earned the reputation as a womanizer. Cole had said the title wasn't entirely true. Sure, Danny liked women and he was attracted to a variety of them. There was no shortage of the females who sought the attention of Danny.

Cole said that ever since they were young, the girls flocked towards Danny. However, Danny was always fair and stated to every woman that he didn't want long-term commitments. Lacey suspects that the one major relationship, that turned sour, had ruined Danny for other women. He probably would remain suspicious of women's motives and most likely would be a lifetime bachelor.

"So, Lacey Porter, your turn. What about any boyfriends?" Danny wants confirmation if she is indeed single or if there is a possible guy in her life that she has been hiding from Cole.

"I am single and I am **not** looking." Lacey pauses as she looks distinctly in Danny's direction to emphasize that she will not be one of his next conquests. "I have had a few boyfriends and one major relationship that ended amicably."

"Only a few boyfriends? I don't believe it." Danny lies. He knows Cole said that Lacey is a long-term commitment type of girl. He just wants to explore if she still feels the same way. He wasn't looking for long-term but he would be willing to compromise for something more than 'casual'.

"I am more of a long-term commitment type of person. I look for a person who seeks the same type of relationship. I want a guy who is honest, intelligent, kind, and has a good personality. Other than that, I look for a guy who wants to pursue to that next level if we have a good starting connection." Lacey explains so that Danny will get the hint that his flirtations will go nowhere.

"How do you know unless you casually date to experience what you preferences you like? What if a guy comes along that changes what you think that you want? You could discover that you like a steady relationship but without the urgency of commitment." Danny wants Lacey to consider the possibility that she might enjoy a less serious relationship…something dependable but not necessarily leading directly the marriage alter.

"I haven't found that guy yet who makes me reconsider what from my next relationship." Lacey surmises.

"Well, I accept the challenge" Danny counters.

"I am not issuing a challenge. Even if you discount the fact that I am your direct employee, we are two completely different people. We don't want the same things from a relationship or dalliance or whatever you are suggesting." Lacey hopes that Danny drops the subject.

A waiter, instead of Joyce, interrupts the conversation as he comes to collect the empty dishes from their table. Lacey uses this to her advantage: she excuses herself to go to the Ladies' Room. While she is washing her hands, Joyce exits one of the stalls and joins Lacey at the vanity sink. Lacey smiles at her in recognition.

"Honey, are you enjoying your meal?" Joyce questions to Lacey.

"Oh, I am. Everything was delicious. It's a great place you have. I am glad Danny suggested to dine here today." Lacey grins at Joyce.

"I'm glad you like it. He certainly has been our guardian angel. We wouldn't have made it without him." Joyce remarks with a tone of pride.

"Why do you say that?" Lacey wonders.

Joyce looks surprised and then she shakes her head. "He didn't tell you, did he? That is so like him…to do something nice and be humble about it. Years ago, Mickey's wife passed. She had been the one keeping the finances in order while Mickey could focus solely on the diner. Well, after she passed, Mickey entrusted the wrong person to be his Office Manager. Within a couple of months, this person had us in a lot of debt and we feared we would close."

Joyce pauses for a moment before she continues. "After Danny discovered this, he paid our debts. He said it was in honor of Linda and that this was too great a place to close. The only forms of repayment that Danny would accept were the hiring of his friend to be a Financial Manager for the diner and for Danny to be granted a lifetime of hot meals whenever he wanted. Of course, Mickey wouldn't accept those limited repayment options. He was too grateful and too proud. He made Danny a partner in the business." Joyce laughs. "Then, that lil' stinker Danny had the legal documents to include a provision that Danny's profits would be funded right back into the diner."

"Wow, that very sweet of him to do that. Thank you for sharing this with me." Lacey is impressed by Danny's overwhelming generosity to Mickey and his business.

"Sure. We are just so thankful to him." Joyce replies.

"Well, it's been nice chatting with you. Have a good afternoon." Lacey turns to leave but Joyce places a hand on her arm.

"He's a good person. Honey, cut him a little slack. He seems 'sweet' on you…there's a time to play hard to get and to just enjoy. He's already hooked – just go with the flow." Joyce advises the young lady.

"He is just flirtatious, that's all." Lacey denies that Danny has any intention that is meaningful.

"Hmmm. It looks a little more than that to me, but hey, the staff says that I am a hopeless romantic. At any rate, you two make a beautiful couple. If he's single and you're single, then why not pursue it, sweetie?" With that Joyce exits the bathroom with Lacey.

As Lacey sits back down at her booth, she asks Danny "Did you bribe Joyce with the promises of an extra tip if she sang your accolades?"

Danny gives a short laugh. "No, should I? Would it work?"

Lacey ignores his question. "Well, she is a proud member of the Danny Desai Fan Club with official membership certificate, autographed poster, and everything."

Danny smirks. "Sounds like a great club to join. Did you submit your membership packet yet? Normally, it's a limited time offer for the meet and greet passes, but I'll extend it in order for you to receive the hug and autograph. You can even sneak a kiss and cop a feel. I won't mind…anything for a fan." He finishes with a wide wolfish grin.

Lacey can't help herself. She laughs a big full-bodied belly laugh at his audacity and at the mental picture he has conjured. Danny joins her in laughter.

Joyce looks over towards the booth and smiles. She mentions to a fellow waitress "Oh, she's definitely a goner. Let's hope our Danny seals the deal. They really are beautiful together."

_***Lovely Readers, thank you for reading and thank you for your continued words of encouragement**_

_**DimplesValntina**_


	6. Chapter 6

**After the Burn – Chapter 6**

Lacey and Danny leave the dinner and Lacey is driving them back to Danny's. As they drive, they notice a plane flying in the distance.

Lacey decides to try a neutral topic. "I wonder where the plane is going. I haven't been on vacation in a while."

"Why not?" Danny inquires.

"I don't know…I guess I became tired of the same old hot spots in Mexico, Florida, or California that my traveling friends always wanted to visit. I now want to just visit a tropical island that has few visitors. I just want the sun, the ocean, and the food. I can either do a few fun activities or else just nothing at all…just lie on the beach all day. I guess I just seek the peacefulness of that." Lacey sighs dreamily.

"Let's go sometime" Danny suggests as he notices Lacey's gaze is transfixed elsewhere as she is mentally picturing the island she described. Her full lips are curled into a small smile with one dimple appearing on her right cheek. Danny wants that look of desire to stay. He wonders how he would feel if she gave a similar look onto him. He wonders what guy she has given that look. A part of him feels irrationally jealous that she undoubtedly given that look when she has been in lust or desired someone.

"Yeah, right." Lacey gives a light laugh as she scoffs Danny's suggestion that they travel to an island together.

"I'm serious." Danny is genuine in his offer to go somewhere like Lacey has described. He knows they would have an amazing time…tropical place, two beautiful people, long nights together…the fantasy in his mind made his pulse race.

"That's so 'not appropriate'." Lacey chastises lightly.

Danny raises one eyebrow to challenge her statement. "What is not appropriate? It wouldn't be a business trip. It would be a personal trip. We would be like any other two consenting adults going on a vacation."

"Except, we aren't like any other consenting adults going on vacation. We are a boss and a subordinate going on a personal trip that is ill-advised since we would have to return to that work environment and work as professionals again. We would compromise the good relationship we have presently. So, thank you for the temporary illusion but we can't go on a trip to a tropical island together." Lacey concludes as she hopes Danny drops the discussion.

"Look, I love our working dynamic. We function well together. I also feel we could be that good together in another type of dynamic. Haven't you ever taken a chance on something?" Danny questions as he tries a different tactic to appeal to Lacey.

"I have taken chances on things that make sense. Mixing business with pleasure is not a good idea. It eventually causes confusing 'blurred lines' at best and disastrous consequences at worst. Sure, office romances can happen since two people spend more time together in a week than they do with their own families, but it is an illusion of intimacy. That closeness can be very false. If one involves sex and feelings into the equation, one loses everything when that illusion is shattered. " Lacey shakes her head. She wishes Danny wouldn't pursue this subject.

"Did that happen to you? Who caused you to be bitter about office romances?" Danny is curious. These statements Lacey made were spoken with conviction. Someone had hurt her or else someone close to her. Danny feels angry that someone could have hurt Lacey – hurt her enough that she had lost some of her trusting nature towards guys…guys like him who wouldn't cause her heartache like the one she had described.

Lacey realizes she has inadvertently revealed too much. "It wasn't me. Let's just say that I know first-hand about office romances turned sour. Therefore, I avoid them….plain and simple."

Lacey has reached Danny's penthouse. She stops the car, but keeps the engine running so that Danny could presume that Lacey wanted the afternoon and conversation to end. She looks at Danny. That is a big mistake. Danny's gaze is not guarded. He has a mixture of lust and intensity in that gaze. Lacey's mouth drops open in surprise. "Well…" she begins and stops. As a nervous gesture, she licks her lips as she struggles for her next words. The act tears Danny's gaze from roaming her face to lasering on her full lips instead. His tongue mimicks her response as he licks his own lips. Lacey's eyes widen which unknowingly signals her corresponding lust to Danny.

Lacey swallows and tries to communicate again. "Well, thank you for introducing me to Mickey's Dinner. I enjoyed it. I'd better let you go. I am sure you still need your rest from the hangover. I hope you feel better tomorrow. I will see you in the office Monday morning."

Danny is frustrated, both mentally and physically, but he drops the vacation conversation for now. He recognizes that Lacey is distancing herself once again. He thinks 'Valiant effort but I am not conceding yet. I am just going to withdraw and assess for now. I just need to strategize my next move.' He nods his head: both as assurance for what he has mentally planned and as confirmation to Lacey's statement.

"Yeah, I could use a little more rest. Great that you enjoyed Mickey's. I'm glad I could share the experience with you. Don't tell anybody about our 'secret place' now." He smirked as he begins to exit Lacey's car.

"As if I am the only person you have taken there." Lacey smirked back at him.

Since Danny had not closed the door, he bent down to gaze inside the car's interior at Lacey. "You are not the only person to be my guest there, but you are the only **woman** I have dined there. You see, I was saving that for someone special." He winks, smiles a wicked grin, and wishes "Have a good rest of your evening, Lacey" as he closes the car door.

Lacey again drops her mouth open in disbelief at his unexpected remark. Was his candor genuine or one of those patented lines that had women flocking to him? As she watched him walk towards the entrance his building, she couldn't help her gaze hungrily assessing his confident stride, his jeans that encased strong thighs, his broad back, and that luscious hair bouncing with each step he took. Lacey took a deep breath and exhaled forcefully. She had to get a grip on her personal interactions with Danny. These kind of unexpected moments with Danny produced too many intimate close-calls. These moments made Lacey react to Danny, the man – not Daniel Desai, the boss who dictated her career aspirations.

Suddenly, Danny turned around. He touched fingers to his temple and extended them in a two-fingered salute to Lacey with his accompanying huge smile – the one with the corners of his eyes crinkling – making him appear a little boyish and mischievous at the same time. Next, he turned back around and greeted the doorman who opened the door for Danny to progress into the building.

"Uhhhh" was Lacey's frustrated grunt as she drives away. She mutters to herself while she shakes her head in annoyance. "That cocky b*stard knew I would be staring at him. He thinks he can predict women so well – probably because he has been through a million of them!" Lacey steams as she drives home. Lacey knows she is strongly exaggerating Danny's number of conquests but her frustration justifies her sarcasm. That Danny Desai is too conceited for his own good. Undoubtedly he knew his effect on women – he was far too attractive. Still, the guy should stop using that to his advantage concerning Lacey.

Danny had to chuckle as he rides the elevator to his penthouse suite. On instinct, he turned around to see if Lacey was watching him. If she had not, then he would have been fine gazing at her departure as she drove away. However, thank God, she was still watching him. Her shocked expression was 'deer-in-the-headlights' as she had been caught staring at his body. That confirmed that Lacey was as affected by him as he was by her. He had caught the look of lust earlier in the car and the look she had just given him now was heat-filled as well. He had given her the two-fingered salute and grin to put her at ease and signal that each of them were on the same accord – a recognition of mutual attraction.

Danny felt that he had made some sort of progress. Lacey would now know that it was futile to deny attraction to him. He hoped he could find ways to permeate the barriers Lacey had continually placed around the terms of their exchanges. Danny still wondered what was the cause of those barriers. He could understand some hesitancy…sure, he was her boss, but he was also her age. He was a man who wanted to explore the possibilities outside any work constraints. Danny knew the circumstances were somewhat different than any average guy Lacey would date, but Lacey shouldn't totally eliminate him from possible consideration. He wonderedHH how any guy had barged past those barriers…what about the college boyfriend, Archie, or any guy since then?

Danny recalled Cole recounting Lacey's dating life during and after college.

_**One Year Ago…..**_

One night, Danny had been drinking with Cole. Danny had inconspicuously asked some personal questions about Lacey. Cole had been trying to drown his sorrows over another argument with Kristen. Danny had grown tired of Cole asking for sound advice – that Cole seemed determined to counter at every possible turn in the conversation. Therefore, Danny decided that he would use his cousin's less-than-sober state to find out more information about Lacey – especially since she had been acting somewhat prickly towards any personal interactions with Danny over the past two years.

Cole had been complaining that Kristen had refused to listen to his rational dislike concerning two of her snobby friends. Kristen had tearfully complained that these friends had helped her weave her way through Green Grove society and had brought her a lot of good networking connections. 'So what, if they were quite selective towards certain people?' had been her wide-eyed, drama-filled excuse.

What better way to slyly ask about Lacey – by drawing a stark comparison between the two girls. Cole was one of Lacey's best friends and insider knowledge was valuable to Danny. "I'm sure Lacey wouldn't let a guy use her emotions against her in order to get his way all the time." That was how Danny started the conversation.

"Exactly! You are right. Lacey would call Archie out on any b.s. that he did. She would often refuse to be around him….avoid him on purpose…deliberately take a different way to class – just to prove her point and make him see the error of his ways. She wouldn't even talk with him unless he was prepared to be fully honest with her or corrected whatever he did wrong." Cole agreed with Danny's perceptive assessment of Lacey.

"So, this Archie guy would try to get away with sh*t, huh?" Danny fished for information as he signaled to the bartender for one last round of drinks for the two of them.

Cole rolled his eyes and snorted his disgust. "Like the time when Archie went to the strip club with his roommates but lied to Lacey about where he had been that night. Man, was she pissed. She didn't talk to him for at least 3 weeks. Then, there was the time when he missed her art exhibition as part of her project for her Advanced Art Appreciation class. She won an award in the competition at the art gallery that night. He wasn't there because he had traveled to another college's soccer game in order to try to schmooze some scouts who were there. He misjudged the time and made it back into town an hour late after the gallery had closed. Lacey hung out in my apartment that night and became a temporary full-time guest of mine for that whole month while Archie haunted all of her usual hangouts and classes to beg her to forgive him and give him another chance. Now to be fair, Archie didn't mess up a lot but mannnnnn, when he messed up, he realllllllly messed up BIG TIME!" Cole laughed at his excessive use of the enunciation of his consonants to emphasize this jerk Archie's mistakes.

"He sounds like a jerk. Why did she stay with him?" Danny grimaced to show his disdain for the guy who had the nerve to treat Lacey this way in college.

Cole blew out a big breath as he sighed deeply. "Look, like I said, Archie didn't mess up a lot. The times he didn't mess up, he was a very cool guy. He was always being romantic to Lacey…he didn't have a lot of money but he would give her blank cards where he would write literary quotes from authors she liked. He would plan little outings to the drive-in movie theater to watch those old classic movies she loved. He would talk to her late at night until she would fall asleep on the phone. He would even sneak onto campus past visiting hours to bring her food if she had missed dinner in the cafeteria. I told her to call me whenever that happened but she hardly ever did. So, how could anyone hold a grudge against the guy for very long - when he had so much 'good' racked up in his favor?"

Danny had been glad to hear the faults of Archie, but he wasn't prepared for the tide to turn and Archie to become so 'saintly'. He was glad when the last round of drinks finally arrived. He could drown his hopes in his glass of whiskey. He needed it.

Cole wasn't quite through with his portrait of Saint Archie. "Then, he had to propose to Lacey…" he began as he played with his new glass of whiskey, twirling the glass a little between his hands.

"What?" Danny almost sputtered some of his whiskey.

"Hmmmm…" Cole looked up from his twirling game. His eyes were looking a little glassy.

"The proposal…." Danny prompted.

"Oh, yeah. Archie proposed to her, man, and everything…." Cole started to chuckle. He took a drink from his glass. He frowned as the liquid went down his throat. "Lacey's a long-term commitment kind of girl. Archie knew they were graduating soon. He wanted Lacey to go back home with him to Denver, go to graduate school there with him, get a job there, and stop working 4 years into their marriage in order to be a full-time mom. That was his plan."

"Why did she have to stop working?" Danny thought the idea was old-fashioned.

"That's the way Archie's family did things and that was the way their neighbors did things. You know small-town life, small-town thinking…." Cole explained.

"Lacey is a brilliant analyst. She loves working in Finance. Any fool can see that. Why would she spend so little time working in her field after she worked so hard to achieve her M.B.A.? The guy didn't want to compromise?" Danny was astounded that guys these days would still think with such a small mindset given the amount of working professional women that were mothers or wives. Sure, with his father's wealth, Danny's mother didn't have to work if she had not wanted. However, Karen Desai enjoyed being involved with Marrick Industries' Outreach Foundation and with the various boards that she assisted as the representative for the Desai family. Danny could not envision his mother not having a life outside the family home. She needed an outlet besides just his dad and him.

"Naw…Archie wouldn't budge. Lacey evaluated what she wanted of her future and decided that it was the best to split. They didn't have the same goals for the future. Lacey was gentle in the breakup…took Archie a long time to see that she wasn't changing her mind, but eventually he did. He still keeps in touch with her periodically." Cole finished his drink.

"Any relationships after that?" Danny asked.

"Nothing permanent as far as a steady boyfriend...dates that became 'just friends' or not. There have been plenty of guys to show interest; yet, like I said, Lacey's 'long-term'. If she feels that you aren't serious or else not worthy of the investment of time, then she is going to cut ties. She is able to read people pretty well." He checked his watch. "Wow, didn't realize how late it was. Good thing you suggested that we use our company's driving service tonight…I'm pretty f*cked up…" Cole laughed at his own state of drunkenness.

Danny had to smirk and then laugh himself. "Yeah, you are pretty f*cked up and I'm not that far behind you." He stood up and gave his cousin a pat on the back. "Let's go so that Jeremy can drive us home."

As they both walked a little less steady out of the bar, Danny processed what he had learned that night about Lacey. He could understand some of her hesitancy towards his flirtatious banter – if she had heard some of the rumors surrounding him. Granted, he did have a healthy reputation of dating his fair share of ladies. Although, he always communicated that he was only interested in casual dating – nothing heavy, just enjoyable and easy – sometimes some females did not heed his guidelines. Danny tried to be the gentleman at all times when ending casual dalliances, but sometimes he had to be firmer than he would have liked - in order to distance himself from clingy women. Since Nicole's betrayal with Charlie, Danny wanted nothing long-term, which was in major contradiction to the type of person Lacey was seeking.

_**Present Day**_

Danny was exhausted. He decided to rest. As Danny lay on his bed, he thought about how this interesting day with Lacey had started and ended. While he didn't like the circumstances regarding the bet, he was determined to win. Not only would winning the bet allow his to succeed over Charlie and bring good business to Marrick Industries, but this bet could present an opportunity to break those walls Lacey had erected around herself. Danny didn't want long-term but perhaps he could persuade Lacey to accept what he had to offer for as long as he could. Danny stroked his goatee as he mentally reviewed the possibilities. There had to be a middle-ground between 'long-term' and 'casual' - without sacrificing their great working relationship. He hadn't ventured in this gray area before but with Lacey, she was worth the risk.

_***Lovely Readers, thank you for reading and thank you for your continued words of encouragement. **_

_**Oh, you will notice that I included 2 Twisted tv show 'Easter eggs' – the 'worth the risk' quote and the 'saving…for someone special' phrase. You will find within my stories, even the AU adult-aged Dacey ones, that I will try to plant a Twisted tv show reference somewhere within the fic. If you're very, very observant, you will notice my Kavan 'Easter egg', too…..the 'that's so not appropriate' comment that led to a sweet Kavan bonding moment during a particular interview – the moment that prompted the ultimate feels that we Dacey fans love to watch. **_

_**I hope you enjoyed Chapters 4-6. (It takes a little bit of writing adjustment to go from my angsty teen Dacey fics to the adult less-angsty ones…lol ) Please excuse any typos. I completed the three chapters together. **_

_**DimplesValntina**_


	7. Chapter 7

**After The Burn Chapter 7**

When Lacey arrived at work after her weekend dining with Danny, she didn't know what feelings were going to greet her when she walked into work that morning. The last interaction she had with Danny had left her feeling a little exposed. Both she and Danny knew of their growing attraction for each other. Well, it had always been beneath the surface but neither had so openly acknowledged that attraction.

Even if Lacey didn't verbalize the chemistry she felt with Danny, it was obvious. While she could admit that this was normal and healthy – considering that she and Danny were the same age and worked so many hours together – she knew she was treading on dangerous territory. Her sister had treaded on that territory once, too. While she couldn't stifle her life based on her sister's history, Lacey could use that history as a preventative measure to protect herself.

Lacey's thoughts are on her sister Clara as she enters the Marrick Industries building. She doesn't notice the person in the lobby waiting for an elevator until it is too late.

"Good morning, Lacey! Nice day, isn't it?" Charlie Desai McBride greets her.

With that greeting, Lacey's ire stirs. She remembers the bet. "Good morning, Charlie. Do you have a moment to talk?" Lacey has arrived early enough to have a small chat with the low-down, scheming Charlie.

There is a gleam in Charlie's eyes. He knows why she wants to chat. "Sure, Lacey. Why don't we go to the cafeteria here for some coffee?"

They walk over to the cafeteria. As they walk, Lacey can't help but compare Charlie physically to Danny. Charlie is tall, lean but has muscle. He has dirty blonde hair and green eyes. He possesses good looks but he also possesses extreme arrogance about those good looks. He can be charming but he does not have the effortless ease of that charm - as Danny does. Sometimes, Charlie's charm can feel forced. At any rate, if Lacey were to choose, Danny would be ideal. Of course, she isn't choosing at all.

Charlie insists on buying their beverages: Lacey, a hot chocolate, and Charlie, coffee. They pick a table near the windows.

Lacey takes a couple a sips of her hot chocolate to wet her dry throat. Since this is a very public space, she decides to start their talk light and try to control her temper. "I am sure you can guess why I wanted to speak to you. It is concerning this bet that you have place with Danny in which I am caught in the middle."

"Scandalous, wasn't I?" Charlie grins. Once he receives a glare in response from Lacey, he pretends to feel remorseful. "Ohhhh, you don't see the humor or fun in this situation, do you?"

"When I think about how you involved me in a pissing match between you and Danny, then 'fun' is the least descriptive term that I would use." Lacey temporarily loses her cool.

"Well, well, well…our Lacey seems a little miffed...using terms like 'pissng'. Hmmm…" Charlie licks his lips and then leans across the table – as close to Lacey's ears as the table will allow. He insinuates "Makes a person wonder what else he can do to rile up her emotions." He leans back to offer a mischievous grin at her.

'Makes me want to have an emotion that may make me lose my job" is the internal dialogue Lacey has with herself.

While she did not utter those words, Charlie issues a sharp laugh. "Ummm, I can see a thought bubble above your head and something tells me that the words aren't very flattering to me."

Lacey pauses for a moment to center her emotions and bring this conversation back to an objective start once again. She fixes her brown eyes on Charlie. She is calm as she initiates the discussion about the bet again. "This bet was a terrible thing for you to conceive. I don't appreciate being involved as a prize to be won. I bring value, experience, and a hard work ethic to this company. For that to be dismissed and for my value to be placed solely on my looks, is deplorable. Why would you do this to me?"

Charlie takes a sip of his coffee before he answers. "I had heard of this opportunity for new business through some connections. I knew if I presented it to some members of my family, then my role in this new opportunity would probably be lessened. I would be relegated as a minor contributor. I wanted to be taken more seriously."

Lacey leaps on this part of his statement. "Which makes it more maddening that you would choose to _not _ take me seriously. You would relegate me to physical "image" traits instead of strong intellectual and work performance qualities. I want to be taken seriously in my role, too!"

Charlie holds a hand up to stop Lacey in her tirade. He looks at her directly. "Please, let me finish. I saw Danny that night. He had been drinking. I had been drinking." He sighs and looks out the window and shakes his head. He turns his gaze to his cup which he turns between both hands as he continues to talk. "Maybe it wasn't the wisest thing to do, but I had some good news. I had a potential thing that the 'Golden Child' did not."

He looks up at Lacey. "_Of course_, I felt good and wanted to gloat a little. Danny didn't seem impressed. It was a good opportunity so I challenged him to do better – if he were man enough to challenge me. The little shit refused…well, he refused to recognize that I might be good competition for him with this deal…he refused to believe that I could 'best' him at this deal. He was walking away – as if I wasn't in the same league as him." Charlie took another sip. He admits "So, I did what I used to do – when we were younger. I took a stick and poked the bear. I riled him up – as I like doing sometimes. And that is how we wound up with this bet."

Lacey shakes her head in disbelief at the ease he uses to make the circumstances leading to the bet seem so trivial. "No, Charlie. You are forgetting the rest of the story. Remember the part where your 'poking the bear with a stick' involves you tossing my name into the equation and tormenting your cousin with the memory of his girlfriend, that you…" Lacey glances around to make sure no passersby are listening to their conversation. She continues "the girlfriend that you s*duced – knowing full well that your cousin had feelings for this girl. So, with that atrocious scarlet letter against you, why would you goad Danny like that? That was cruel!"

Charlie gives a shrug. "Like I said, I wanted to be taken seriously. By mentioning the woman he used to love and by mentioning you, the woman he seems to value so much presently, then I was assured that he would be forced to pay attention to me." He smirks. "Now, what I hadn't counted on – but man, I should have predicted – is that when you stir a hornets' nest, you should be prepared for that impending sting. Danny's sting was throwing the Desai bloodline in my face. Sure, I try to develop a thick skin – being that I am adopted, but with the right amount of liquor in my system and with my defenses slightly down, then his jab hit in just the right sore spot."

Lacey is disgusted. "One cruel act versus another cruel act. Neither of you come out innocent in this. What did your punishment towards each other accomplish?"

"Well, it got him to listen. It got him to agree to the bet. I'm not sorry for the bet. While I can understand your anger, I won't regret the bet. If I win, I think you will enjoy working with me…" Charlie states.

Lacey interrupts his simplification again. "I enjoy working on the team that I am presently on. I won't enter into any romantic relationship with you regardless of the outcome. I won't be forced or persuaded into a personal arrangement with you. There is no compromise on that. Furthermore, that is ridiculous to base future presidency on this bet as well. Who knows what may happen between now and the time for a Desai of your generation to even step into the reigns of that kind of leadership."

"If I win, Danny will honor what we agreed upon. If he wins, then yippee 'Golden Child' wins again and you still work for him…although, I can't guarantee that I won't always have a glimmer of hope that you might feel differently towards me." Charlie observes Lacey closely as he stops talking.

Lacey sighs. "Look, Charlie, I have a defined set of rules between the personal and the professional aspects of my life. I have told you that before and I am stating it yet again. We will never be more than business associates."

"What about you and Danny?" Charlie's stare is intense.

"Are you being harassed, Lacey?" Danny appears by their table. He had noticed Lacey and Charlie in a heated discussion when he entered the cafeteria.

"Good morning, cousin!" Charlie grins at Danny's face.

Danny grins with forced friendliness back at him. "Good morning, Charlie. Are you bothering my analyst?"

"Naw, not bothering her at all. We were just having a lovely chat about the bet. I was about to extend my regards that 'may the best man win.' " Charlie glibly replies.

Danny was just as smooth in his retort. "Thanks, Charlie. We appreciate the support. That's mighty big of you." He reaches down to grab Lacey's hand to pull her from her seat. Lacey is very ready to leave this discussion with Charlie. "If you will excuse us, I have some things I need to discuss with Lacey before my meeting. Have a good morning, cousin."

Charlie purses his lips and nods in farewell. "You have a good morning, too, cousin. Nice talking to you, Lacey – as always." He gives a closed-mouth smile to her in parting.

"Goodbye Charlie." Lacey responds in return.

From the cafeteria, across the lobby, and to the elevator, Danny and Lacey walk in silence. Once the elevator doors closed, Danny turns to Lacey to ask "Are you okay? Was he harassing you?"

Lacey gives him a reassuring smile. "I'm fine. I asked him to sit and talk with me. I had a failed attempt at trying to make him have a conscience over how this bet made me feel. Turns out his heart is seven sizes too small."

"It's probably due to all those Baby Gap tees he's always trying to wear to show off his muscles on Casual Fridays" Danny quips.

Lacey snorts and then laughs. Danny laughs, too. They are still laughing as they enter their office space. The laughter dies down when they near Lacey's desk. She turns to Danny and simply states "Thank you."

"Anytime." Danny winks and smirks as he continues to walk into his personal office.

As Lacey settles into her desk and assesses her workload for the day, she feels better that she has gotten the animosity against Charlie off her chest. She still thinks his bet is appalling. After her contact with Charlie this morning, she is very determined that Danny wins.

Lacey hopes that the rest of her day is Charlie-free. Unfortunately, Charlie had other ideas.

_**Later that afternoon….**_

"Good afternoon, Heather! Is my cousin in?" Charlie McBride is paying a visit to Danny's area of Marrick Industries. In order to proceed to Danny's office, he has to pass by the executive administrative assistant desk and pass Lacey's large open-cubicle space before he can face the door to Danny's office.

Lacey cannot believe that Charlie is deliberately making an appearance here this afternoon. After this morning's encounter, she had hope that she would not cross paths with Charlie again today. So, Charlie is inquiring if Danny is available.

Lacey had to still her facial expressions in order to not roll her eyes. She is not fooled. Danny has been in meetings for most of the morning. Charlie, who attended a few of those meetings with Danny, would know that information.

Thus, his visit this afternoon – while appearing impromptu – is actually a deliberate ruse to snoop or to aggravate. Lacey has time for neither.

"Good afternoon, Charlie." Heather is cordial to Charlie. She, also, is not fooled. "You must have forgotten that he is meeting with Internal Audit to discuss some new compliance rulings for the Research group. Remember last week, you asked Internal Audit to first schedule with Danny and let you know the remaining available timeslots once Danny had decided?"

"Oooh, yeah, that's right. It must have slipped my mind." Charlie tries a charming smile.

"Don't tell me I need to buy you a supply of fish oil and magnesium supplements. You need to be proactive - you're too young for memory loss." Heather smiles saccharinely with her offered advice.

"Touché. I'll get right on that. Can't be too preventative." He expands his arms away from his body with his palms outstretched. "It wouldn't do for this body and face to look so great but my mind to fade so soon."

Heather shakes her head at Charlie's attempted flirtation. She is a married mother of three and a grandmother of two. She has seen it all via the older generations of Desais. This younger breed, while more attractive, are just young pups to her. They offer a lot of entertainment; consequently, they can offer drama at times, too - with this rascally one leading the dramatic exploits.

"Oh, Heather, you refuse to be daunted by me. You don't want to play." Charlie pouts.

"Too much work to do and too un-inclined to play." Heather chuckles. "Go find another playmate."

"Speaking of which…" Charlie saunters past Heather's desk and proceeds to Lacey's area where she is busily typing on her keyboard. "Good afternoon, Ms. Porter. I forgot to tell you this morning that this dress is very becoming on you. Coral is definitely your color."

"Good afternoon, Charlie. Thank you." Lacey looks up to address him. Then, she returns to typing again. Charlie is here to see Danny – so he says. Therefore, Lacey is cordial but offers no extra small chat.

"This would be the part in which you would offer something complimentary to me as well…like 'That mint colored shirt looks really good on you, Charlie.' " Charlie gives as a suggestion.

Lacey glances back at him with a slight frown on her face to convey confusion. "Hmmm, wouldn't that make the recipient feel that the compliment was disingenuous…that the compliment was forced…just a nice pleasantry to state back out of an obligation to say something in return? That would make it seem like you were slumming for compliments. I wouldn't want to offend. I know you aren't that desperate." Lacey displays her best dimpled smile to soften the blow to her words.

Heather snorts in the background and then pretends to cough a couple of times into a napkin.

Charlie smirks. "Always considerate of other's feelings. That's very kind of you, Lacey."

Lacey treads lightly in her verbal interactions with him this afternoon. Heather has been with the company much longer and can offer more potent sting to her commentary with Charlie. Lacey has less tenure.

Plus, she tries to avoid antagonizing Charlie in general. He would think she was deliberately goading him in order to have further continued contact with him. This morning, her temper made her speak more strongly. This afternoon, she was trying a softer approach in order to thwart him.

"Well, we will tell Danny that you stopped by or maybe you can ask Heather to schedule a meeting for you with Danny. Have a good day." Lacey dismisses Charlie with a pleasant closed-mouth smile.

Charlie does not move to exit her space. "Why do you dislike me so much?" He comes closer to her desk. He looks intently at Lacey as he awaits her response.

Lacey decides to give a simple answer since Charlie seems to be baiting her with his supposedly casual question. "I don't dislike you." She turns her body back to her computer and returns to preparing her reporting that she had to upload onto the Marrick website. She hopes this would deter Charlie from asking more questions if she seems too busy to converse with him.

"Have Danny and Cole turned you against me, then?" His question seems genuine but there seems to be a slight vulnerable note to it. Lacey thinks she is imagining things. She has been working on these reports all morning.

Lacey waits for her Excel files to compress and zip before giving Charlie an answer. She then turns her attention away from her computer screen to Charlie's green-eyed stare instead. She shakes her head in denial. "No, Danny and Cole have not. That's not their style. They don't have to use their influence over people to persuade one's feelings about you. "

"So, you hate me all on your own?" Charlie counters. There is that Desai scrutiny in that gaze…that intensity that Danny gives when he demands an answer or when he invades your space to seek some validation to what he believes. Although Charlie is adopted, this trait is still inherent in him. This must be something groomed in all the Desais.

Lacey shakes her head again (a) to deny his question and (b) to avoid feeling sorry for Charlie – he would only turn that against her as he has done before. "I don't hate anyone. By the term 'anyone' - that in default would include you." Lacey gives a butter-wouldn't-melt-in-her-mouth smile.

Charlie laughs – genuinely laughs. "The lady has a little snark. I like snark. That's a very attractive trait to have."

Lacey, in spite of herself, gives a little snort and smiles a little. His charm can creep upon a person sometimes. Yes, he is handsome – not as strikingly attractive as Danny. Yet Lacey could see how he could sweep some women off their feet.

Charlie gives a small smile back. "I've gotten the dimples a couple of times today…and a few times, the smile was with genuine humor. See, I _can_ be likeable." Charlie remarks.

"Yes, when the conversation isn't laced with innuendo or slight digs at your cousins, then yes, you can be likeable" Lacey agrees.

Charlie nods his head. "The innuendo is because you are a very beautiful woman. The digs are because…because it is a thing I just do. If I had to place a 'reason' to it, then I would say…if I can't beat them, then I chip away at their armor" Charlie rationalizes.

"Your cousins aren't your enemies, Charlie. You should save the insults for others…not for your kin." Lacey felt if someone in this family could stop the harmful part of the competitive drive in this family, then the younger cousins could mend any past transgressions. Sure, Charlie had done major damage by sleeping with Nicole, Danny's then-girlfriend, behind Danny's back. However, if Charlie had shown any true remorse, then maybe Danny could eventually forgive….well, maybe not forgive but a truce may be achieved for the 'sake of family.'

Lacey decides to offer Charlie something to consider. "To paraphrase a quote – 'Don't use the bathroom where you eat.'

Charlie snorts at her more 'politically correct' turn of that phrase. He looks off in the distance for a moment before his gaze returns to hers. "To loosely borrow a gambling phrase…I _see_ your attempt to offer me an olive branch to extend to my cousins and I _raise _ you a lifetime of examples where I have been pitted against them."

"Who sparked that competition? Was it them or was it the generation before you three?" Lacey asks as she thinks that whoever started this mess did a disservice to the cousins. If this extreme competition had not been started, there could be more solidarity between the three. It wouldn't be a division of Danny and Cole versus Charlie.

"It has been so long that I don't know how it exactly started. You just are reared on the competition. Now, don't go feeling sorry for me…or is this your ploy to get underneath my skin? Are you trying to placate me so you can find out my secrets on how I am going to win this bet?" Charlie smirks.

Lacey thinks that it is a shame that the glimpse of vulnerability has disappeared. Charlie is back to his murkier side.

Charlie persists "Look, you're intelligent. I know you want to advance within the company. Don't you want to be on the winning side? Don't be blinded by your loyalty to Danny. Hmmm, not changing your mind, huh? You know, I am curious...why is it that I get judged harshly for admitting my attraction to you, but Danny is shown leniency? I can see he is attracted to you. I can see you don't show the same deterrence tactics to him as you do for me. Sure, you can pretend I must be imagining things, but I know my cousin…he must have tried to pursue you as well. Don't tell me that you are actually falling for the 'tall, dark, and handsome' routine? Trust me, he's been using that 'exotic-looking b.s.' trick to his advantage all our lives.'

"Careful, cousin Charles. The casual observer would think you are throwing shade at me. In order to throw shade at another person, that would mean you would have something better to offer. However, you and I both know that is not true." Danny saunters into through Lacey's analyst cubicle space as he travels to go to his closed office. He offers a cool smile with his sly response.

"Haha, Cousin Daniel. Good one. I was just entertaining Lacey until you got back. I have a few things to discuss with you." Charlie gave a smile – which didn't quite reach his eyes.

"Funny, how you didn't schedule a meeting like everyone else who wants to discuss things with me." Danny gives his own smile as his words point the obvious to Charlie – Charlie didn't have to show up 'impromptu' to Danny's assistant nor his analyst.

"Oh, but then I wouldn't have had the opportunity to catch up with Lacey and place her at ease about our little bet." Of course, Charlie would try to goad Danny into a corner by mentioning the 'little' bet.

"So, were you conceding? Where's your white flag?" Danny squints as he pretends to glance around Charlie to see that symbol of yielding the win over to him.

Charlie smirks. "Yeah, righttttt. Don't you wish that were the case, Cuz…"

"All right – you aren't here to concede. Enough with the light banter, what is the real reason why you are here? Are you spying on us?" Danny wants to address whatever business Charlie wants – the sooner, the better so that Charlie can leave. He doesn't hate his cousin. They just are oil-and-water…very hard to mix and very hard to stay fused together for long stretches of time. They have worked together in the past. The presence of other people – to mediate any vastly differing proposals between the two cousins – had helped to facilitate that working together.

There is a solidarity between them if anyone dares to threaten or harm the Desai reputation. They can place their differences aside for the sake of family. Yet, there has always been a strain between them since Danny has been the favored Desai amongst the younger generation in the family.

It wasn't Danny's fault of being gifted the 'favorite' title. He was the first born of the younger set of 'blood-related' Desais. He was always the fastest learner, the quickest to adapt to any changes, and a very attentive listener. Moreover, he possessed an affable charm – that both adults and other kids loved. As he grew older, he also was the most handsome – being that both his mother and father were very attractive.

So great intellect, charming disposition, plus overwhelming good looks made Danny a very formidable opponent to most men. Imagine if that person was in one's family and every other male, fairly or unfairly, were judged opposite of Danny. That was a very high standard with which one had to compete.

Now, add in the factor that Charlie was adopted verses Danny's 'blood' status. This was one of Charlie's sore spots. Danny wouldn't tease him about it – unless Charlie provoked him, but it was a very tender wound that had never quite healed.

Charlie bristles "You're not the only one with ideas, you know."

Danny agrees "You have always had some good ideas, but the follow-through hasn't been thorough at times. You sometimes have a 'thin-skin' whenever anyone offers some critique of your idea. If you combine your efforts with others or take constructive advice to tweak your original concept, you would get a lot further with your ideas. As a result, people would listen more to what you suggest – because they see you can be a team player when you need to be."

Charlie interjects "I fight for the ideas that I believe in so strongly."

Danny concurs "Sure, there are times when you fight for what you believe, but you need to learn when it is best to back down and go with another idea. Maybe you can incorporate something of 'your own' further down the line before the finished product or maybe you can get to spearhead the next venture. However, since it is a _**constant**_ battle with you, people seem reluctant to even work with you in the first place."

Charlie dismisses "Well, this time I have some great ideas. It will be fun – taking you down a peg or two…"

Danny narrows his eyes and shakes his head in frustration. "Again, you are making this about the 'singular' – instead of the whole. A win is a win for all of Marrick Industries. If you really cared for the company, you would want to work together. Instead, you saw this as an opportunity to 'one-up' me. Also, you saw this as an opportunity to trap Lacey in a situation in order for you to try to woo her."

Charlie becomes cocky in his demeanor as he smirks. "Are you afraid that I will be successful? Which aspect has you more afraid – that I will win the deal or that I will win the girl?"

_***Lovely Readers, thank you for your reading and for your support. I made this chapter longer in appreciation for your patience as I juggle several fics.**_

_**With this chapter, I wanted to incorporate some of the qualities that we saw of Charlie on the tv show Twisted. He was presented as someone a little vulnerable (wanting to fit in with others), someone who used humor to befriend, and someone who had several personality sides which could switch at a moment's notice. **_

_**My Twisted 'Easter egg' in this chapter? It was that Danny statement where he said 'you and I both know that is not true' – alluding to the episode where he tells Lacey that he can't forget about their kiss and he is confronting her on not owning up that the kiss affected her as well. **_

_**My Kavan 'Easter egg'? Well, it was more of a Kylie 'Easter egg'. She recently had a snapshot of herself in a coral or peach-looking bathing suit top. The color was becoming on her and I decided to work it into the fic.**_

_**For those anticipating Clara's part in this fic, she will be making an appearance either Chapter 8 or Chapter 9. Her history, which affects Lacey so much, will be revealed then.**_

_**This weekend, I will be posting for 'The Beautiful Ones' and 'The Break'. If I have energy, I will try to post the final chapter of 'Tamed Submission' – the new short fic. After that, an update would be for 'Prime Recognition'. As always, I appreciate your patience! DimplesValntina**_


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